Central Saanich commemorated the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War by unveiling the new cenotaph on November 11, 2018. The ceremony included a march in, two minutes of silence, poems and remarks, wreath laying, and was emceed by Carl Jensen, chair of the Cenotaph Committee. Mayor Windsor was in attendance as well as council members, Central Saanich police and firefighters, members of Air Cadet’s 676 Kittyhawk Squadron, Girl Guides, Boy Scouts and Stelly’s Marching Band.
The Central Saanich Cenotaph is a symbol of the loss and sacrifice Canadian Veterans have made. It was designed by Small and Rossell Landscape Architect. The supplier, Mortimer’s Monument Works in Victoria, arranged for granite stone to be quarried in Vermont, manufactured in Quebec, and brought to Saanich. The memorial has four sides: a Canadian maple leaf to symbolize all Canadians who have served; the message “Be at Peace” in English; the message “Be at Peace” in French; and a side with artwork by a local T'sartlip First Nation artist, Charles Elliott.
